Vincent Van Gogh

1853 - 1890

On March 30, 1852, a Dutch minister and his wife had a stillborn son named Vincent. On the same day a year later, they had a second son named Vincent, who grew up feeling like a substitute for his dead brother. He desperately wanted to make a contribution to humanity to make his life worthwhile, but at 27, he felt like a failure. He had been fired from his jobs as an art dealer and a lay minister, and he had fallen in love twice and been rejected both times. Then he decided to dedicate his life to art. In the next 10 years, he taught himself to draw and paint and created hundreds of masterpieces.

Learn more about Vincent Van Gogh:

Vincent Van Gogh Teaching Program

A selection of observation and writing activities to assist students in better understanding the works of Van Gogh. The activities were created by staff at the National Gallery of Art.
Level: Grades 5-8

Who Am I - Self-Portraits of Van Gogh, Gauguin and other Artists
An in-depth art activity for Middle School students. Who am I? contains a set of art and writing activities designed to help middle school students begin to answer this important question. Students can look carefully at self-portraits in the National Gallery of Art's collection by Vincent van Gogh, Paul Gauguin, and other artists and respond to questions online. They can also make self-portraits and write poetry, a speech, and a letter about themselves.
Level: Grades 5-8

Van Gogh at Etten - Sketches and Billboards
This web site is about the famous artist Vincent van Gogh, and the time he lived in Etten, a small village in the south of The Netherlands where he started his career as an artist.

Click on "Interactive" for several puzzles and an online quiz. Click on "go to: His Life" for a timeline on Van Gogh's life.
Level: Grades 5-8

The Works of Van Gogh
An online exhibition of the artist's works organized by categories – landscapes, self-portraits, still lives, In Provence, etc. Note: Text does not accompany the images.
Level: Grades 5-8

Inside Art Adventure - Van Gogh
This site takes you on tour of a Van Gogh painting as if you were in it. Through the art adventure, students learn about Van Gogh's painting and learn about his life and approach to art. There is a quiz at the end that lets you out of the painting!
Level: Grades 5-8